Undergraduate Commencement FAQs

Graduating students will receive an email in February which will include a survey to order regalia for Commencement 2025. Please reach out to commencement@wheaton.edu if you have any questions. 

Commencement regalia, together with zipper pulls, for undergraduate students will be distributed in the Wheaton College Campus Bookstore on the first floor of the Student Services Building on Monday, May 5, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Students unable to retrieve their regalia at this time should plan for a friend to pick it up on their behalf, or can pick it up during regular Bookstore hours until noon on Friday, May 9. After this time, all unclaimed regalia will be available for pickup at 2:00 p.m. in the library prior to lineup.

Rehearsal for Commencement and Baccalaureate will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 9th, in the Library.  At that time, you will receive specific instructions for lining up, marching, seating, and receiving diplomas. Rehearsal is scheduled to end at 12:30 p.m.

Commencement will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 11th, in Edman Chapel. Please arrive for line up no later than 2:15 p.m. at the Library. Specific locations for lining up will be given at rehearsal.

Please arrive wearing your cap and gown—and don’t forget your tassel and zipper pull!  You will need to keep any personal items with you during the line-up and event.

Students should dress in regalia for Commencement. Once you have your cap and gown on a hanger, do not iron them.  We recommend steaming to get the wrinkles out.  During the Commencement ceremony, caps should be worn flat on your head.  The tassel goes on the RIGHT side. It is turned to the LEFT upon the conferral of degrees during the Commencement ceremony.

Only approved adornments may be worn to Commencement. Approved adornments are scholastic honors cords, student government cords, certificate stoles, and honor society cords. All adornments must be issued by the department representing the distinction.

• Women: Skirt, dress pants, or dress. You will be walking across bleachers and risers; please wear flat shoes. Also please, no jeans or flip flops.
• Men: Dress shirt, tie, and slacks. Closed toe shoes are appropriate. Please, no jeans, lounge pants, or flip flops. 

Guests will need to bring their tickets, either printed or electronic. They can also bring bottled water, and they can have coats or umbrellas with them at their seats.  Guests are not allowed to bring balloons, signs, noise-makers, or food or drinks other than water to the ceremony.

If you anticipate needing any accommodations in order to ensure an accessible Commencement ceremony for you or your guests, please contact the Registrar's office at commencement@wheaton.edu as soon as possible.

For those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility we invite you to be seated at 8:15 a.m. for baccalaureate and at 2:00 p.m. for Commencement. Please have the entire party report to the East Wing side door of Edman Chapel (the ramped door) or the West Side Edman door. All entrants will need a ticket for commencement. If individuals need hearing assistance, Edman Chapel is equipped with a listening assistance system. A limited number of assisted listening devices are also available. Please see an usher to request such a device. 

Tickets are required for guests to sit in Edman Chapel. More information regarding tickets will be made available by early March. Guests without tickets are encouraged to sit in overflow seating. Coray Gym and Barrows Auditorium will be available on-campus for overflow with a live broadcast of the ceremony. 

Doors will open at 2:15 p.m. for Commencement, and 8:15 a.m. for Baccalaureate. Guests who have accommodations can arrive 15 minutes prior for entrance.

Yes. Please follow this link to provide an audio recording for the name reader. Please have this completed no later than Sunday, May 4th. 

You can view a livestream of the ceremonies if you cannot attend in person.

Yes, a professional photographer will be taking a picture of you receiving your diploma. You and your family will be able to order prints; information will be sent to the student's my.wheaton.edu email address from the photographer.

Baccalaureate is a worship service honoring graduates. The Baccalaureate speaker will be President Ryken.

The service will be held from 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 11^th, in Edman Chapel. Caps and gowns will be worn, and you need to be present to line up no later than 8:30 a.m. at the Library. Seniors and graduate students will sit together for Baccalaureate. Guests do not need tickets for this service, and overflow seating is available in the Coray Alumni Gym.

You will need to RSVP for the Commencement Brunch. We will post a link for reservations soon! 

Diplomas are sent after all degree requirements have been met according to the following schedule:

• May graduates should receive their diplomas by the end of July.
• August graduates should receive their diplomas by mid-October.
• December graduates should receive their diplomas by the end of February.

We use your my.wheaton.edu email for digital diplomas and communication and mail diplomas to the primary address that is in Banner Self Service. You can update your mailing address in the Student Portal (Banner Self-Service > Personal Information > Update Addresses and Phones). If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@wheaton.edu.

No, only your name, degree and Latin honors, if received, appear on your diploma. Degree, majors, minors, certificates and honors appear on your transcript. In the U.S., the transcript is considered the official document while a diploma is considered a ceremonial document.

You can order graduation announcements with Jostens through the Campus Store.

Instructions for ordering transcripts can be found here. Current students can place an order through Parchment. Go to the Student Portal > Banner Self Service > Student Services > Student Records > Request Official Transcript. While completing your order online, please indicate if you want the transcript order to be held until your degree is posted.